Hetal Vasavada’s Ice Cream Cake
Growing up, Carvel ice cream cake was the birthday centerpiece I looked forward to all year! As an adult, I keep the tradition alive by treating myself to a mini version on Valentine’s Day and savoring it over a few days, one delicious slice at a time. This homemade cake captures all the joy of the original with layers of no-churn chocolate and vanilla ice cream, a generously thick band of chocolate crunchies, and those unmistakable blue whipped cream scallops topped with rainbow sprinkles. The clear vanilla extract in this recipe really gives you that nostalgic vanilla birthday cake flavor. It’s a playful dessert that feels celebratory and costs less than its store-bought counterpart. —Hetal Vasavada, San Francisco, California